DENHOLME sailors have bailed out their counterparts in Halifax who lost access to water for their boats.

Halifax Sailing Club lost the use of their home at Warley Moor Reservoir because of low water levels and maintenance work.

So Denholme Sailing Club agreed to let the Halifax sailors cross the moor and use their own facility at the village’s Doe Park Reservoir.

The Halifax club discovered last Christmas that low water levels meant the suspension of sailing for part of 2019.

Then their landlord Yorkshire Water announced it needed to empty the reservoir for most of 2020 for maintenance work.

Faced with a second year of disruption, the Halifax sailors decided they had do everything they could to keep the club float.

Club Commodore Graham Norton said: “We are extremely grateful to our neighbours at Denholme for their help this year.

“They couldn’t have been more helpful from the start. Within a matter of weeks we had an agreement in place that allowed any member of our club to sail at Denholme with no cost to themselves.

Warley Moor Reservoir lies on the moors between Oxenhope, Halifax and Hebden Bridge, with access along Hill House Edge Lane above Oxenhope.

Halifax were particularly keen that members of their Young People sailing group, who have long-established Saturday afternoon activities, were able to use the Denholme facilities.

Senior Instructor Sub Lamb said the club knew that a move to Denholme would not suit all its sailors.

She said: “Warley Reservoir is very large, open water in an elevated position. Its location next to the Ovenden Moor Wind Farm testifies to the fact that it often has strong winds.

“Denholme Sailing Club being located in a more sheltered location has proved to be ideal venue for our youngsters. We were even able to run our annual fun day at our temporary home.”

Halifax Sailing Club plans to reopen its own facilities in April next year and welcome back members.